


His Reunion

by inkwells_writing



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, School Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-17
Updated: 2017-06-17
Packaged: 2018-11-15 03:57:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11222823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkwells_writing/pseuds/inkwells_writing
Summary: Alfred realizes he doesn’t have a date to his high school reunion, and so he goes to his neighbor, friend, and crush for help. Six hours later, the two of them are both relishing in the feeling of dating the other (fake or not). The two of them, horrible at communication, go on like this all night. Will either of them ever make a move? Sure doesn’t seem like it, with how they dance around each other.Warnings: just some swearing





	His Reunion

Alfred bolted out his door, phone carelessly thrown on the couch as he haphazardly made his way to his neighbor's apartment. He began to carelessly pound on the door, hoping and praying that his stuffy neighbor was home. He had completely forgotten about the high school reunion. Alfred had certainly grown in the ten years since he had seen his graduating class. He grew out of his chubbiness (going to the gym almost every day did that to a person), and he had a career as a doctor all lined up, having only just finished his schooling. So technically he had everything a person would want when they saw their class again, except of course, a partner.

And Alfred needed the whole package. He had to show up all the kids who would tease or shrug him off. Of course, with Alfred’s luck, he had focused too much on his career to actually get a partner.

Which was Alfred was where he was, dressed in his best clothing, banging on the door of his neighbor-slash-friend-slash-crush. When said man opened his door, Alfred began to rethink his plan.

These ideas almost never worked out in movies, and by the annoyed look on Arthur’s face, he wasn’t really in the mood to drive six hours with Alfred to play pretend in front of a group of strangers.

“Arthur!” Alfred said, putting on his best ‘help me’ smile, “Just the man I wanted to see!”

Arthur crossed his arms, “Alfred, you do realize it is eleven in the morning, and you do realize that eleven is when I tutor online, correct?”

Alfred just shrugged off Arthur’s glare. He would not be deterred, his pride was at stake after all. “Yes, yes, I know, I know. I’ve heard your lecture before. But this time Arthur, I need you. You are the only one I know who is good enough at acting, and handsome enough, to do this for me.”

Ignoring the spluttering of Arthur, Alfred began to recount his tale of woe. “You see, my high school reunion is tonight, and I need an attractive and awesome date so I can show up all those jerkwads I used to know!”

“What are you going on about, Alfred? A reunion?” Arthur said as he stared at Alfred. _That’s not a blush, is it?_ Alfred thought to himself as he looked at Arthur. 

“Why do you need a good actor?”

“I just need a date to my reunion Arthur! I’m not in a relationship!” Alfred said, running a hand through his hair.

“And so you need to show up people from your past, is that right?”

“Exactly” Alfred began to get nervous. On any normal day, his heart would be aflutter at the thought of _technically_ asking Arthur on a date, but today was an emergency. If Arthur said no, Alfred honestly had no clue what he would do. _Maybe I could ask-_

“Okay.” Arthur said, looking up at Alfred.

“Wait, really!” Exclaimed Alfred, “I was expecting you to say no or something!”

“I had the same issue during my reunion. I did the same thing. Francis was an excellent fake-date, and everyone there, boy and girls, were jealous of me by the end of the night.”

Alfred beamed, “Awesome, but you’re going to need to change into something more formal than sweatpants and a t-shirt.”

“It’s eleven on a Saturday, Alfred! You are almost never awake by now, so hush up.” Arthur huffed out as Alfred laughed.

Arthur turned as Alfred called after him, “Okay, okay. Just please hurry up. The reunion starts at 5:30.”

Arthur stopped walked and turned, “Alfred that’s six hours from now.”

“Yes.”

“How long is it going to take to get there?”

“Well, two hours by plane.”

“You can't afford two plane tickets.”

“Six hours by car.”

“Alfred!”

Alfred laughed nervously, “Ya, ya. I know. I owe you big time! I’ll make it up to you, I promise!”

Arthur scowled before heading back into his room, “You’re lucky I’m petty.”

“I know.”

\----

Five hours later Alfred found himself sitting in a car, trying to come up with lies about how they met and got together.

“No, Alfred. Keep it simple. They won’t believe your outlandish tale of ‘saving me from a burning building.’ We met when you moved in next to me. Lies work best when they’re just stretching the truth.”

Alfred pouted, “But I sound so much cooler if I rescue you!”

“You’re not even a firefighter!”

He laughed, “Fine, fine. But I’m the one who asked you out. It’ll make me sound more awesome.”

Arthur huffed, “It’s unlikely, given how hard it was to convince you to ask out your last partner.”

“Arthur, you promised to make me look good tonight! No huffing or scowling or calling me a coward!”

“We aren’t there yet. I’ll scowl and call you chicken-shit all I want until then.”

“Arthur,” Alfred whined.

“Don’t forget, Alfred, I got a minor in theater. And I majored in journalism. I’m the best at acting and weaving tales, _love._ ”

And while Alfred knew Arthur had said that to mock him, Alfred couldn't help the flush that rose up the back of his neck, “Yeah, yeah. I know.”

\----

“Wow. When you told me it was a small town I didn’t imagine _this_ small.” Arthur said as he looked at the high school campus. It was comprised of four buildings, with maybe four classrooms on each. A parking lot, filled to the brim with probably only a hundred or two cars, sat next to an american football field. The football field, along with the gymnasium that was decorated with a sign announcing the reunion, appeared to be where most of the schools funding went. Arthur wasn’t surprised by that. Alfred talked a lot about his high school football years, especially since they paid for the first four years of his college.

Plus, if Arthur would allow himself the thought, they served Alfred well in terms of personal upkeep.

 _Not now_ , Arthur thought bitterly, _tonight is all fake. Don’t get too caught up. He would have asked anyone who was convenient_.

Alfred smiled and held out his arm, “We’re a little late, but hey, we’ll make an entrance.”

“If years of hanging around Francis has taught me anything, it’s that there is nothing better than fashionably late.” Arthur said as they walked into the gym.

Once they were inside, Arthur began to feel like this whole thing was a bad idea. It wasn’t like when Arthur asked Francis to accompany him to his reunion, which was to only up-show a few of his exes that he had broken up with on bad terms at his giant high school.

This was Alfred, trying to up-show all the bullies and assholes who had pestered him throughout his entire life in this small town. Arthur was snarky and rude- not the right combination to charm the pants off of past bullies.

 _But_ , Arthur thought as the first person walked over, _as I said earlier, I sure as hell can act like it. And it’s not like I can ever say no to Alfred._

“Well, well, Alfred. How’s life been treating you? Haven’t seen you since the last game of senior year. We lost that one, huh?” The man, sporting what appeared to be the beginnings of a pot-belly, laughed.

Alfred’s grin widened (fake, Arthur could tell), “Ha, yeah. But life’s been treating me really well! Just got out of schooling, got a job lined up at the local hospital”

The man laughed, “I always knew you were meant to be a nurse!” He slapped Alfred on the back.

Arthur spoke up, putting on the biggest smile he could muster, “Good one, but my dear Alfred is going to be shadowing the head doctor! He’s been working really hard to get the position, it’s almost put a dent in ‘our time,’ hasn’t it, Alfie?”

Arthur’s acting must have gotten more rusty than he had thought, because Alfred couldn’t look him in the eye. His grip on his waist, however, tightened.

The man who had approached them look impressed, so Arthur could tell he bought it. “Geeze, Alfred, looks like all those nerd classes weren’t such a waste of time after all. Who would’a guessed?”

Alfred laughed, “Yeah… So, what have you been up to?”

The man began to look uncomfortable, “Ah, well. Turns out the NFL wasn’t too interested in my football abilities but, hey, the mechanic is always looking for more full-time workers!”

Alfred’s grin became less forced, “Ya? Did you and Christen stay together after high school? You guys always talked about your future.”

“No, we broke up that summer… But hey! Look who just arrived!” The man changed the subject as the three of them turned towards the door. A large man walked through the door, scowling at everyone. Alfred’s grip on Arthur’s waist tightened.

“Hey, dude, it was good to see you! We can catch up more later, but I think I see our old hall monitor, I wanna say hello!” Alfred said as he quickly steered Arthur away, as far from the door as he seemed to be able to get.

“Alfred, who was that?” Arthur asked, looking up in concern.

“Oh, that was just Greg. He was kind of an ass. Really sexist, but a decent linebacker.”

“Alfred.”

“What?”

“You know that’s not who I was referring too.”

Alfred sighed and dropped his arm from Arthur’s waist (he tried not to mourn the loss). Running his hand through his hair, Alfred said, “That’s the guy who was the main cause of all of my high school issues. He hated me- for a stupid reason too. I want to avoid him if possible.”

“Okay,” Arthur said, “Who should we talk to instead?”

Alfred blinked, as if he had expected Arthur to force him to elaborate more on the issue. “Oh. Well, I still need to show up the rest of the football team. Then there’s the people in my AP classes who always thought I didn’t belong because I was on the football team. And then there is this one girl who turned me down because, and I’m quoting here,” Alfred put on a horrendous falsetto, “‘You’re just not my type. My type is handsome and smart… not… _you_.’” Alfred laughed, as if the ordeal was a joke.

Arthur was appalled but tried not to let it show, “That’s not funny Alfred, that’s horrible.”

Alfred laughed again, “Yeah, it sucked. But I’m way over it. Plus, if she see’s me now with you, she’ll know what she was missing out on. And besides, _I’m_ the stupid one? Now, I don’t like judging intelligence by school abilities, but she once told the teacher she had an irrational fear of sticking her finger in her belly button and it would just keep going, so I’m pretty sure I dodged a bullet with that one.”

Arthur laughed as Alfred guided them towards a group of people, “You’re lying right? She did not ask that.”

Alfred sighed dramatically, “I wish I was lying.”

As the group greeted them, Arthur let the feeling of Alfred grab his waist again wash over him.

He knew it was stupid, but maybe he could let himself pretend, for just one night, that Alfred would really be interested in dating him. And as they recounted their ‘first date’ Arthur let himself believe they really had gone to a cheesy french restaurant and that they were planning to move in together in July.

\----

The hours passed quickly, and Alfred managed to dodge the man he was trying to avoid. He asked about the man a few time, only to be reaffirmed in his vow to avoid the man as they learned the man was becoming a lawyer.

“Arthur, that’s so much cooler than a doctor! I can’t show him up like this!” Alfred had cried when they were away from other people. Arthur knew he couldn’t- and shouldn't- try and get Alfred to talk to the man.

Soon, they were leaving. Alfred had decided to leave early, giving some lie about how the long drive back was going to be tiring, and that they both had work the next day.

They began to walk out the door and were hit with the cool air of outside when a voice called after them, “Wait, Alfred, are you going to leave without saying hello to your best buddy?”

Alfred froze, and Arthur knew who was calling after them.

The man they had been avoiding all night jogged up to them, and Alfred stood motionless. His arm on Arthur’s waist, which had been a huge indicator of Alfred’s moods all night, tightened considerably. His face was blank, not even a fake smile was plastered on.

The man, however, wore a large smirk. “Alfred, how rude of you to not say hi. It has been, what, ten years? And you don’t say hello to your old best friend?”

Alfred didn’t say anything, and although Arthur was confused, he smiled and held out his hand, “Sorry about him, it’s been a long night and he’s been very tired lately in general with finals and job applications. I’m Arthur, his boyfriend, and you are?”

“Well, I am simply charmed. And a little insulted that Alfred has never mentioned me. We were best friends for most of our lives, and we dated for a while too! And yet, his current partner has no clue who I am! That’s a little rude, _Alfie_.”

The man’s nickname must have struck a chord in Alfred because he spoke up immediately, “You need to shut the fuck up. We aren’t friends. You stopped being my friend, my boyfriend, my _anything_ other than a bad memory when you completely fucked over my life sophomore year. I don’t care about you, and honestly, I never want to hear your stupid voice again. Now if you’ll excuse me, I plan on heading home now. Please, don’t try and continue this conversation. I said all I ever wanted to you the last time we met and I don’t feel like repeating myself.” Alfred turned and began walking into the parking lot, dragging Arthur along by the hand. Neither of them spoke as they walked to the car.

The man stood there the entire time they were walking and Arthur spared a glance as Alfred started the car to see the man still standing there, as if waiting for something. He stood there until Alfred pulled out of the parking lot, before turning to go back inside.

Alfred was quiet, and Arthur didn’t feel like it was his place to speak up. After all, they had left the reunion. They were not longer dating, fake or not.

But as Arthur stared at Alfred’s tense grip on the steering wheel, he knew he had to speak up.

“Alfred, pull over.”

Alfred ignored him, only continued to drive.

“Alfred, please. Pull over. I want to talk to y-” Arthur stopped talking as Alfred quickly pulled into the parking lot of a small park.

Alfred let out a deep sigh and ran his hands over his face before he slammed his fist on the steering wheel. Arthur jumped.

“I fucking hate that guy!” Alfred screamed, his voice filling the silence of the car, his words ringing in the silence of the night.

Arthur didn’t know what to say. He had told Alfred to pull over, but he hadn’t planned out his words. Arthur hated not having a plan, so he decided to do what Alfred always did and said the first thing to came to mind, “He seems like a right prick.”

That was probably not the best idea.

Alfred, however, began to laugh, “Yeah, he is. Fuck, sorry for freaking out just now, dude.”

“What happened between you two, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Just your normal case of ‘friends turned boyfriends’ that ended very, very badly. Like, ‘I’m going to make the next three years of your life living hell until I basically run you out of town for dumping me during homecoming’ badly.”

Arthur sat in more perpetual silence before speaking up again, “Well, if it’s any consolation, tonight was a pretty good time so I could see why he’d be bitter about losing you as a boyfriend.”

Alfred didn’t say anything and Arthur began to think that that was the worst thing he could have said. However, Alfred soon began to laugh. Arthur smiled awkwardly, until he realized the laughter had turned to crying.

Arthur moved to put his hand on Alfred’s shoulder when the man spoke up, “Ah, fuck. Arthur, that was probably the best and worst thing you could have said.”

Arthur cracked a small smile, “That’s not surprising. You are basically asking an emotionally stunted man to comfort you.”

“You’ve got a point there,” Alfred wiped away his tears before turning to Arthur, “Thank you for letting me drag you hours away from home for some stupid reunion.”

Arthur turned to face Alfred fully, “Well, I’d say it was a success. I’m pretty sure everyone there is doing worse off than ‘Mr. Doctor-who-has-an-amazing-rich-boyfriend. I know they all believed it too, because we kept the lies simple and fairly true, like I said we should.”

Alfred looked at Arthur for a moment longer, “You know… We could make less of it a lie.”

Arthur blinked and began to speak, “I, wait, wha-”

Alfred jumped in his seat, turning to the steering wheel, “I, fuck, forget what I said. I’m being stupid and emotionally compromised and-”

“Alfred.”

“I just spoke without thinking again and-”

“Alfred.”

“Seriously, ignore me. We should start driving home, it’s going to be a long dr- not that we have the same home. That’s not what I was implying-”

“Alfred.”

“I just meant home in the general sense of the city we live in together-”

“Alfred.” Arthur put his hand on Alfred’s, trying to calm the ranting man.

“Not that we live together, or anything I just-”

Alfred was cut off fully as Arthur muttered a quick, “Fuck it,” before reaching over and grabbing Alfred’s shirt collar and dragging him to Arthur’s face.

Arthur closed his eyes and he slammed Alfred’s face against his. It wasn’t romantic, or cute, or sexy. It honestly kind of hurt, and the seat belt was digging into his side, but Arthur’s heart fluttered all the same. He held an unmoving Alfred against him for a few seconds longer, as the kiss softened into something less painful before he shoved Alfred away as he realized what he had done.

Arthur opened his mouth to speak as Alfred brought a hand up to touch his lips.

“I- wait, Alfred that was so uncalled for. I am so sorry.”

\----

Alfred’s brain had short-circuited. He wasn’t listened to Arthur apology- what in the world was he apologizing for, Alfred didn’t know. He was too busy thinking of how nice it had felt to have Arthur’s lips against his.

He had fantasized about it a lot, more so tonight than normal, but never expected him to actually kiss the real Arthur Kirkland.

Alfred’s head was floating in the clouds. He would relive that moment for the rest of his life. A large smile formed on his face, a real one, made from pure, unstoppable joy, when he heard Arthur’s seat belt unclick.

He tuned back into what Arthur was saying and tried to shove aside the tingly feeling of Arthur’s lips on his (he was putting it aside for later, he needed to memorize the feeling).

“I’ll call a cab or something. Sorry, bloody hell, that was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I’ll see you lat- no. Shit, Alfred I shouldn’t have done that. Good night,” Arthur began to open the car door as Alfred finally processed what Arthur was saying.

“Wait!” Alfred called out as he grabbed Arthur’s wrist before the man could actually step out of the car, “What are you doing?”

Arthur looked scared and confused. He didn’t speak for a moment before he said, “I’m going to find another ride back. We shouldn’t have- I shouldn’t have- I- You surely don’t want to drive me back after I did that.”

Alfred started at Arthur, at this beautiful man who couldn’t seem to read the pure joy that he knew was all over his face. Did Arthur think he had just forced himself on Alfred?

Well, Alfred knew that wouldn’t do. He pulled Arthur back towards him, resting his other hand on Arthur’s neck, bringing the man into another kiss. This one more gentle, made up of more emotion than adrenaline.

Alfred pulled away this time, smiling at Arthur as he rested his forehead on the other man’s. Alfred let out a small sigh, “Arthur,” he breathed.

Arthur’s eyes were wide, so wide and unbelievably green.

The seat belt was digging into Alfred’s side, and his glassed were sliding down his nose, but Arthur was here, close to him, and he had _just kissed him twice!_

“Alfred, I don’t-”

“Arthur I’m pretty sure I’ve been in love with you since I met you.”

Arthur’s eyes widened impossibly more, before he squeezed them shut and wound his arms around Alfred’s neck, pulling him into another kiss.

They were then pulling against each other, the center console of the car digging into both of their hips, but neither of them minded as they kissed a third time.

 _Third time’s the charm_ , Alfred thought to himself as he got lost in the kiss with Arthur. They broke apart for an instance to breath, before pulling against each other again. And again. And again.

Until Alfred pulled away and said, “Arthur, get out of the car.”

Arthur was breathing heavily, eyes half-closed and cheeks flushed, as he tried to process what Alfred was saying, “I- what?”

Alfred smiled before getting out of the car, then he slid into the back seat. He opened his arms to the universal ‘hug me’ sign, and Arthur’s smile soon matched his as he hopped out then back into the car.

They both slid towards each other, Arthur quickly pushing himself on top of Alfred.

His entire body felt hot, and Alfred’s realized he could stay in this car, in the backseat, forever. Uninhibited by the awkwardness they had as neighbors, the lies of fake dating, just the good and honest truth of being not-so-young and in love.

And although they didn’t stay in that car forever, that night was pretty great.

Or, it would have been if Arthur hadn’t rocked upwards just as Alfred’s hand had slipped under his shirt.

Alfred groaned, “What, Arthur?”

“Fuck, I have work tomorrow. I need to get back by eight.”

Alfred glanced at the clock; 1:00.

“Can’t you just call in sick or something?”

Arthur scowled at him, “I have stuff that needs to get done tomorrow. Plus, I told the people I was tutoring that I’d help them tomorrow, well, today really. Publishing isn’t a job a can just call in sick for, and I can’t let down those students.”

Alfred sighed and rested his hand on Arthur’s hip. The man was still sitting on top of his, and Alfred really couldn’t care less about the grades of some college freshman right now. But, Arthur did care. So Alfred sat up, gave Arthur one last, lingering kiss, before getting back into the front seat, “Just stay in the backseat. You can sleep there so you’re rested for tomorrow.”

Arthur smiled at him and leaned against the window, “Thanks, love.”

Alfred felt his face light up red and he coughed, “I, yeah. No problem, Artie.” He began driving, headed back home. As he drove, he glanced back at Arthur, who had fell asleep.

 _Tomorrow I’ll ask him out properly. And we’ll go to some cheesy french restaurant_. Alfred blushed again as he imagined the next day, _And then_ , he spared another glance at Arthur, _we’ll kiss again._

**Author's Note:**

> can't believe Arthur literally thinks "not now gay thoughts."  
> Also Arthur works at a publishing company, but he tutors college students sometimes bc he likes working with kids and he knows he would have loved this type of help when he was in college.  
> I also didn't write the guy from Alfred's past as anyone specific, but it'd probably be Russia (i love russia but he fits the character backstory sorry!).  
> Thank you for reading this!! I'm also posting this my tumblr- @inkwells-writing ! Check it out if you want!


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